Justice Crew
Encyclopedia
Justice Crew are an all-male hip-hop dance and pop music
group based in Sydney
. They are most notable for winning the fourth season
of Australia's Got Talent
in 2010. The group consists of Emmanuel Rodriguez, Samson Smith, Len John Ruela Pearce, John Len Ruela Pearce, Lukas Bellesini, Paulie Merciadez and Solo Tohi. Following their appearances on Australia's Got Talent, Justice Crew signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia, and released "And Then We Dance
" as their debut single. The song reached the top-thirty of the ARIA Singles Chart
and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA). The group's second single "Friday to Sunday
" became their first top-twenty hit and was certified platinum.
and both moved to Sydney to pursue a career in dancing. Twin brothers Len and John Pearce are of Filipino
and Australian descent. Emmanuel Rodriguez entered the second season
of So You Think You Can Dance Australia
in 2009 and made it through the top twenty. In 2009, Justice Crew entered the World Hip Hop Dance Championships
competition held in Las Vegas
, and became one of the many groups to represent Australia
. Eventually, they placed 14th in the competition. Before entering Australia's Got Talent, Justice Crew were giving free dance classes to disadvantaged children in Sydney.
of Australia's Got Talent
. They were inspired to audition for the show after seeing Britains Got Talent winners of 2009, Diversity
. After receiving three Yes votes from all three judges in their audition, the group went on to compete in the second semi-finals, where they received a standing ovation from the judges. They won the public vote and went on to compete in the grand finals. The first round of the grand finals was held on 8 June 2010, where Justice Crew performed their final routine. Judge Brian McFadden
was impressed with their performance and stood on his seat applauding, and judge Kyle Sandilands
was also full of praise of the group's performance. Emmanuel Rodriguez said the group scheduling as the second last act to perform added to the pressure to perform well. He explained, "They gave us more time to be nervous. But as soon as the music started, we knew we were going to nail it". The second and final round of the grand finals was held on 15 June 2010. After the public votes had been tallied, it was announced that the winner of the season were Justice Crew. As winners, the group were awarded a prize of $250,000. The group divided the prize money so each member got $28,000 each. They also invested the money into the group, planning to become a fully professional act.
In an interview with New Idea
magazine, Justice Crew revealed that dancing saved their lives, stating that they would have been struggling if they had not taken up dancing as a hobby. Rodriguez said, "Getting paid is a big thing. But so is being able to achieve a dream. Winning a TV show is huge!". Bellesini said, "If I didn't have dancing I guarantee I'd have been in a much worse position. Dancing pushes you further away from other stuff. It keeps you healthy and out of trouble". Tohi said, "I can guarantee you, without dancing, I'd be in jail".
of The X Factor (Australia), by appearing in one of the television commercials for the show. In August 2010, it was announced that the group had signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia, and released their debut single "And Then We Dance
" through the label. The song peaked at number 26 on the ARIA Singles Chart
and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA), for selling 35,000 copies. On 27 September 2010, Justice Crew released a DVD
also titled And Then We Dance, which featured a documentary of their first dance experiences as individuals and how they came together as a group. It also showcased their dance routines and individual tricks.
The group's second single "Friday to Sunday
" was released on 17 December 2010. The song peaked at number 18 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified platinum for selling 70,000 copies. In December 2010, Justice Crew fronted a campaign for the new underwear label, Sly, and appeared on promotional shoots for the underwear label. The group's third single "Dance with Me
", featuring American rapper Flo Rida
, was released for digital download
on 29 March 2011. In April 2011, Justice Crew served as a support act for Chris Brown's Australian F.A.M.E. Tour
. "Sexy and You Know It" was released as the group's fourth single on 23 September 2011. On 18 November 2011, Justice Crew released their first compilation album
titled, Justice Crew Party Mix, featuring a DJ mix CD of their singles and their favourite songs to dance to plus a DVD featuring the group's four music videos, behind the scenes of the videos, a tutorial from each member on how to do their favourite move, a putting the steps together section and a bloopers reel. The album debuted at number five on the ARIA Compilations Chart on 28 November 2011.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group based in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. They are most notable for winning the fourth season
Australia's Got Talent (season 4)
Australia's Got Talent is an Australian reality television show, based on the original UK series, to find new talent. The fourth season premiered on the Seven Network on 13 April 2010 and ended on 15 June 2010. Radio DJ Kyle Sandilands and Irish singer Brian McFadden joined the judging panel as...
of Australia's Got Talent
Australia's Got Talent
Australia's Got Talent is an Australian reality television talent show which premiered on 18 February 2007 on the Seven Network. The show was based on the Got Talent series format that originated in the United Kingdom with Simon Cowell...
in 2010. The group consists of Emmanuel Rodriguez, Samson Smith, Len John Ruela Pearce, John Len Ruela Pearce, Lukas Bellesini, Paulie Merciadez and Solo Tohi. Following their appearances on Australia's Got Talent, Justice Crew signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia, and released "And Then We Dance
And Then We Dance
"And Then We Dance" is the debut single by season four winners of Australia's Got Talent, Justice Crew. It was written and produced by Darhyl Camper, Nicholas "RAS" Furlong and Jordan Seucof. The song was released digitally on 27 August 2010...
" as their debut single. The song reached the top-thirty of the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA). The group's second single "Friday to Sunday
Friday to Sunday
"Friday to Sunday" is a song by Australian hip-hop dance and pop music group, Justice Crew. It was released digitally on 17 December 2010, as the follow-up to their debut single, "And Then We Dance". The song was written by Erika Nuri, Greg Ogan and Shridhar Solanki...
" became their first top-twenty hit and was certified platinum.
Early life
Justice Crew originated from humble beginnings in the Western Suburbs of Sydney. Founding members Samson Smith and Solo Tohi originally came from New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and both moved to Sydney to pursue a career in dancing. Twin brothers Len and John Pearce are of Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
and Australian descent. Emmanuel Rodriguez entered the second season
So You Think You Can Dance Australia (season 2)
Season two of So You Think You Can Dance Australia, the Australian version of the American reality dance-off series So You Think You Can Dance, is hosted by former Rogue Traders vocalist and solo artist Natalie Bassingthwaighte, with Jason Coleman, Matt Lee and Bonnie Lythgoe acting as the judges....
of So You Think You Can Dance Australia
So You Think You Can Dance Australia
So You Think You Can Dance Australia was an Australian version of the American reality dance-off series So You Think You Can Dance. The show is hosted by Natalie Bassingthwaighte, with Jason Coleman, Matt Lee and Bonnie Lythgoe acting as the judges....
in 2009 and made it through the top twenty. In 2009, Justice Crew entered the World Hip Hop Dance Championships
World Hip Hop Dance Championships
The World Hip Hop Dance Championships is an international hip-hop dance competition created and operated by Hip Hop International that first occurred in 2002...
competition held in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
, and became one of the many groups to represent Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Eventually, they placed 14th in the competition. Before entering Australia's Got Talent, Justice Crew were giving free dance classes to disadvantaged children in Sydney.
2010: Australia's Got Talent
In 2010, Justice Crew won the fourth seasonAustralia's Got Talent (season 4)
Australia's Got Talent is an Australian reality television show, based on the original UK series, to find new talent. The fourth season premiered on the Seven Network on 13 April 2010 and ended on 15 June 2010. Radio DJ Kyle Sandilands and Irish singer Brian McFadden joined the judging panel as...
of Australia's Got Talent
Australia's Got Talent
Australia's Got Talent is an Australian reality television talent show which premiered on 18 February 2007 on the Seven Network. The show was based on the Got Talent series format that originated in the United Kingdom with Simon Cowell...
. They were inspired to audition for the show after seeing Britains Got Talent winners of 2009, Diversity
Diversity (dance troupe)
Diversity are an English street dance troupe based in London. They are best known for winning the third series of Britain's Got Talent, famously beating Susan Boyle in the live final. They also won the Families United Positive Role Models at the Spirit of London Awards. The group, initially known...
. After receiving three Yes votes from all three judges in their audition, the group went on to compete in the second semi-finals, where they received a standing ovation from the judges. They won the public vote and went on to compete in the grand finals. The first round of the grand finals was held on 8 June 2010, where Justice Crew performed their final routine. Judge Brian McFadden
Brian McFadden
Brian Nicholas McFadden , is an Irish singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the Irish boyband Westlife...
was impressed with their performance and stood on his seat applauding, and judge Kyle Sandilands
Kyle Sandilands
Kyle Dalton Sandilands is an Australian radio and TV personality. He is currently the host with Jacqueline Henderson, better known as Jackie O, on the weekday morning radio program The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Sydney radio station 2Day FM, The Kyle and Jackie O Hour of Power which airs on...
was also full of praise of the group's performance. Emmanuel Rodriguez said the group scheduling as the second last act to perform added to the pressure to perform well. He explained, "They gave us more time to be nervous. But as soon as the music started, we knew we were going to nail it". The second and final round of the grand finals was held on 15 June 2010. After the public votes had been tallied, it was announced that the winner of the season were Justice Crew. As winners, the group were awarded a prize of $250,000. The group divided the prize money so each member got $28,000 each. They also invested the money into the group, planning to become a fully professional act.
In an interview with New Idea
New Idea
New Idea is a long-running Australian weekly magazine published by Pacific Magazines and aimed at women.-History:The magazine was first published in 1902 by Fitchett Bros. Southdown Magazines purchased Fitchett Bros...
magazine, Justice Crew revealed that dancing saved their lives, stating that they would have been struggling if they had not taken up dancing as a hobby. Rodriguez said, "Getting paid is a big thing. But so is being able to achieve a dream. Winning a TV show is huge!". Bellesini said, "If I didn't have dancing I guarantee I'd have been in a much worse position. Dancing pushes you further away from other stuff. It keeps you healthy and out of trouble". Tohi said, "I can guarantee you, without dancing, I'd be in jail".
2010–present: Recording career
Following their appearances on Australia's Got Talent, Justice Crew helped promote the second seasonThe X Factor (Australia season 2)
The X Factor is an Australian television reality music competition, based on the original UK series, to find new singing talent. The 2010 season premiered on 30 August 2010 and was won by Altiyan Childs on 22 November 2010. Ronan Keating emerged as the winning mentor of the series...
of The X Factor (Australia), by appearing in one of the television commercials for the show. In August 2010, it was announced that the group had signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia, and released their debut single "And Then We Dance
And Then We Dance
"And Then We Dance" is the debut single by season four winners of Australia's Got Talent, Justice Crew. It was written and produced by Darhyl Camper, Nicholas "RAS" Furlong and Jordan Seucof. The song was released digitally on 27 August 2010...
" through the label. The song peaked at number 26 on the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA), for selling 35,000 copies. On 27 September 2010, Justice Crew released a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
also titled And Then We Dance, which featured a documentary of their first dance experiences as individuals and how they came together as a group. It also showcased their dance routines and individual tricks.
The group's second single "Friday to Sunday
Friday to Sunday
"Friday to Sunday" is a song by Australian hip-hop dance and pop music group, Justice Crew. It was released digitally on 17 December 2010, as the follow-up to their debut single, "And Then We Dance". The song was written by Erika Nuri, Greg Ogan and Shridhar Solanki...
" was released on 17 December 2010. The song peaked at number 18 on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified platinum for selling 70,000 copies. In December 2010, Justice Crew fronted a campaign for the new underwear label, Sly, and appeared on promotional shoots for the underwear label. The group's third single "Dance with Me
Dance with Me (Justice Crew song)
"Dance with Me" is a song by Australian hip hop dance and pop group, Justice Crew, featuring American rapper Flo Rida. The song marks the first released by Justice Crew since Anastasios left the group. It was released digitally on 29 March 2011, as their third overall single...
", featuring American rapper Flo Rida
Flo Rida
Tramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from...
, was released for digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
on 29 March 2011. In April 2011, Justice Crew served as a support act for Chris Brown's Australian F.A.M.E. Tour
F.A.M.E. Tour
The F.A.M.E. Tour was a concert tour by American recording artist Chris Brown to support his fourth studio album, F.A.M.E. . The tour began in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia in April 2011, and Brown headlined 32 concerts in North America starting in September 2011.- Background :On January 19,...
. "Sexy and You Know It" was released as the group's fourth single on 23 September 2011. On 18 November 2011, Justice Crew released their first compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
titled, Justice Crew Party Mix, featuring a DJ mix CD of their singles and their favourite songs to dance to plus a DVD featuring the group's four music videos, behind the scenes of the videos, a tutorial from each member on how to do their favourite move, a putting the steps together section and a bloopers reel. The album debuted at number five on the ARIA Compilations Chart on 28 November 2011.
Compilation albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS Compilation ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
||
| 2011 | Justice Crew Party Mix
|
5 |
Video albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 2010 | And Then We Dance
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart position AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
Certifications Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "And Then We Dance And Then We Dance "And Then We Dance" is the debut single by season four winners of Australia's Got Talent, Justice Crew. It was written and produced by Darhyl Camper, Nicholas "RAS" Furlong and Jordan Seucof. The song was released digitally on 27 August 2010... " |
26 |
|
| "Friday to Sunday Friday to Sunday "Friday to Sunday" is a song by Australian hip-hop dance and pop music group, Justice Crew. It was released digitally on 17 December 2010, as the follow-up to their debut single, "And Then We Dance". The song was written by Erika Nuri, Greg Ogan and Shridhar Solanki... " |
18 |
|
|
| 2011 | "Dance with Me Dance with Me (Justice Crew song) "Dance with Me" is a song by Australian hip hop dance and pop group, Justice Crew, featuring American rapper Flo Rida. The song marks the first released by Justice Crew since Anastasios left the group. It was released digitally on 29 March 2011, as their third overall single... " (featuring Flo Rida Flo Rida Tramar Dillard , better known by his stage name Flo Rida , is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He released his debut album, Mail on Sunday, in March 2008. His debut single "Low", featuring T-Pain, was a #1 hit for ten weeks in United States in early 2008. Two other singles resulted from... ) |
44 |
|
| "Sexy and You Know It" | — | ||
Music videos
| Year | Song | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "And Then We Dance" | Marc Furmie |
| "Friday to Sunday" | Alex Goddard | |
| 2011 | "Dance with Me" | Matt Alonzo Matt Alonzo Matt J. Alonzo , is an American music video director and editor. He was born and raised in Carpinteria, California. He has directed and edited music videos for chart-topping R&B, rap, and rock artists.- Early life :... |
| "Sexy and You Know It" | ||
Awards and nominations
| Year | Type | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Nickelodeon Australian Kids' Choice Awards | Aussie Musos | |
| ARIA Music Awards ARIA Music Awards of 2011 The 25th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were a series of award ceremonies which included the 2011 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fine Arts Awards and ARIA Awards... |
Most Popular Australian Artist | ||
| Most Popular Australian Live Artist | |||